Red Sox Journal: Aceves, Bard working out the kinks

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Both Alfredo Aceves and Daniel Bard were happy with their single inning in Thursday’s B-game against the Twins at Hammond Stadium.

By TIM BRITTON | | Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Both Alfredo Aceves and Daniel Bard werehappy with their single inning in Thursday's B-game against theTwins at Hammond Stadium.

Aceves started the game and allowed a run on three hits in hisinning, striking out one.

"I feel great," said Aceves, who threw 17 strikes in 26 pitches."We worked on pickoffs. We got runner on second. We did pretty mucheverything."

Aceves allowed a leadoff single to Ben Revere, an opposite-fielddouble to Rene Tosoni and an infield hit to Joe Benson.

"I feel he threw the ball well," catcher Ryan Lavarnway said."His curveball had good angle on it. His fastball had goodlife."

Bard followed with a similar line, giving up a run on two hitswith a strikeout. Minnesota scored on a Brian Dozier double and aJ.R. Towles two-strike single. Dozier's hit came on a changeup -the rare time Bard will try the pitch against a righty.

"It's good to get the first one out of the way, get those nerveswith the hitters in the box," said Bard. "I felt like I made somegood pitches, tried some things I probably wouldn't try in a normalgame setting, like a right-on-right changeup. This is the time towork on stuff."

"Bard had good pitches; he was upset with his selection alittle," manager Bobby Valentine said. "His stuff was all right. Hewas working on a two-seamer and he didn't get much work on hischangeup or his slider. He pitched out of the windup, got that overwith. Pitched out of the stretch and looked OK."

Bard was happy to see a different uniform in the box, even ifthe Twins were wearing the same navy as the Red Sox.

"Those live BPs can get a little old since you're facing guysyou know and maybe not pitching the way you would pitch a normalhitter," he said. "It's good to have that [game] feelingagain."

"Bard didn't have as good a control as his two-seam as we wouldhave liked today, but his four-seam was staying true," Lavarnwaysaid. "He had good control of that. And he threw a couple goodsliders in there."

Varitek catches praise

Perhaps more than any other player, Jason Varitek will beidentified with the most successful era in modern Red Sox history.On the occasion of his retirement on Thursday, teammates past andpresent paid homage to only the third man to captain the Red Soxsince World War II.

"I never played with or against a more selfless and preparedplayer than Jason Varitek," said Curt Schilling. "The ultimate teamplayer, never hesitating to forgo personal success for the greatergood."

"His dedication to his craft, and work ethic, were alwaysqualities that I admired, and he was a true captain in every senseof the word," Mike Lowell said.

"Jason is a perfect example of what I think Red Sox baseball isall about: tough, gritty, passionate and most importantly loyal,"said John Valentin.

Varitek's former managers were effusive in their praise.

"He was born to be a catcher," said Jimy Williams, Varitek'sfirst big-league manager. "Definitely the type of player to winchampionships with. Bottom line: he's a baseball player."

Said Terry Francona, "The 'C' on his chest was just a formality.. He was the leader of the team with or without it."

Even Varitek's old rivals paid their respects.

"I've always admired the way Jason played the game," Yankeesshortstop Derek Jeter said. "He was a big part of the reason theyhad so much success as a team."

Said longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who also retiredthis offseason, "Jason was one of those players that made therivalry between our two teams so special. Regardless of the colorof his uniform, I will always have a great deal of respect for theway he went about his business."

A loss, maybe

According to their public relations staff, the Red Sox losttheir B-game to the Twins, 6-5, on Thursday.

No one could be quite sure, however - not in a game thatfeatured a groundskeeper as the field umpire and innings that endedabruptly when the pitcher reached his maximum allotment of throws.Against all baseball tradition, Minnesota batted in the bottom ofthe ninth despite having the lead, so Justin Thomas could pitch hisinning for Boston.

No, the score isn't what really mattered. It was a chance forAceves and Bard to work on their starting arsenals, Valentine andhis staff to work on their in-game communication and the coterie ofRed Sox minor-league prospects who started in the field behindAceves to apply the lessons from practice in a game.

Jose Iglesias impressed at the plate and in the field, smoking asingle up the middle on the game's first pitch and later working awalk. The shortstop had just 21 of those in Triple-A last year.

"I thought he was a little lucky to walk today, personally,"Valentine said. "Plate discipline is a wonderful thing. It comesfrom confidence in a mechanic and an aggressive attitude. He hasthe aggressive attitude, and when he gets a good mechanic, I thinkhe could have plate discipline."

Lavarnway got his spring off to a nice start, clobbering a ScottBaker pitch on the inner half over the left-field wall for a soloshot in the first.

"That felt good. I'm a little nervous it's going to be downhillfrom there," Lavarnway said with a smile. "It's good to get thefirst couple at-bats out of the way and have him throw it in myhappy zone."

Valentine also mentioned Will Middlebrooks as having a solidgame. On a run-scoring infield single in the Twins first,Middlebrooks was able to nail Rene Tosoni, who was lingering toofar off of second base.